Into Ombudsman after bias scandal

for overseeing all complaints about local councillors in Wales. Political impartiality was, therefore, a prerequisite. It was the most important standard for her to meet.

“Cook’s actions fell far short of the standard required. Her comments, expressed while she was employed in her role, made her position untenable.”

Mr Davies continued: “Her conduct also has ramifications for others. Given her senior role, the public can’t have confidence in any decisions taken by the Ombudsman while she was in the post.

“The influence she had over others in her team and the culture she set means they, too, through no fault of their own, could not act with the impartiality required. Having made such explicit comments in a public forum, it is highly unlikely Cook would not have made similar, potentially worse comments, privately.” And there’s the rub. The slightest suggestion of personal bias on an investigator’s part, and there is more than a suggestion in Ms Cook’s case, potentially undermines the conclusions of any investigation she conducted or supervised.

There is a potential risk that sanctions imposed during Ms Cook’s employment would have to be revisited, revised, or even set aside.

Andrew RT Davies continued by claiming that the Ombudsman’s office was so contaminated that it could not survive in its current form and needed to be replaced by a new body.

On Tuesday, April 9, the Ombudsman issued a statement that announced an independent review by James Goudie KC.

“Following the allegation of political bias made against a former PSOW officer, the Ombudsman has announced that an independent review will be conducted to provide assurance that its code of conduct processes are sound and free from political bias and that lessons are learned from what has happened.

“The Ombudsman, Michelle Morris, fully accepts that PSOW must now rebuild trust in the organisation’s work on complaints against councillors.

“The remit will include reviewing d iscret ionary decisions made by the former officer and her team, not to investigate complaints when applying the Ombudsman’s processes.

“The review will be led by James Goudie KC and is expected to report this summer.”